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Noisy Neighbors Looking to Exorcise the Red Devils in Thursday EPL Play

The Special One is as sly as a fox and needs at least a Draw here at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday in EPL Matchweek 34 in a Manchester Derby with huge implications with 5th-place United sitting just a point behind 4th-place City heading in.

Odds Overview

City of Manchester Stadium, aka Etihad Stadium, is the site of the huge EPL fixture between fourth-place Manchester City (19-7-6, 63 GS-35 GA) and 5th-place Manchester United (17-12-3, 50 GS-34 GA) in a Matchweek 34 Manchester Derby on Thursday rescheduled because of the Sky Blues participation in the FA Cup. Oddsmakers have City -116 favorites over hurting United (+357, 5Dimes) with a Draw priced at +289 with the Total 2½o -117 (5Dimes). With only the first four teams from the EPL qualifying for the prestigious and lucrative UEFA Champions League tournament, the Sky Blues (64 points) can’t come away with nothin here against the Red Devils (63 points) with just 5 fixtures left after this one and Liverpool (66 points, 34 games played) having temporarily snuck up to third place.

Manchester United

Manager José Mourinho and Manchester United (10-3-2 Road, 27 GF-13 GA) has been on a major unbeaten roll, with the Red Devils now having gone 23 games in the EPL without a Loss, allowing 0 SOG their L2 games—a first since March of 2013. But when you’re playing your brother and your top two attacking stars—Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic—are out with injuries along with guys like Chris Smalling, Juan Mata and Phil Jones, then maybe just coming away with a point and a Draw and holding tight in 5th place may be United’s best hope. At least Antonio Valencia and Ander Herrera are fit for The Special One—who is reportedly eyeballing Chelsea speedster Willian this Summer to join the cherry red party at Old Trafford—who will have to do a wonderful coaching job with this now patchwork-quilt Roster. At least GK David De Gea is healthy and playing as good as he ever has for the Red Devils. In its next game on Sunday, in Matchweek 35, United hosts Swansea City (CNBC, 7 a.m. ET; MUFC -265, SC +800, DRAW +365, 2½o -123, BookMaker).

Manchester City

Manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester City (8-6-1 at Home 27 GF-15 GA) are still dominating in Sky Blue Mancunia, bot gone are the dominating days of the past when a trip to the Etihad usually meant opponents usually had little chance of even earning a point, with Joe Hart in goal and David Silva, Yaya Touré, Sergio Agüero and Vincent Kompany thriving in the peaks or still strong points of their soccer careers. Now, Hart is gone, Guardiola (Bayern Munich, Barcelona) has joined super-managers Mourinho and Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool) in the premiership and the old City stars are now making way for guys like Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sané (+275 Anytime Goalscorer, Paddy Power) and Gabriel Jesus (+175 Anytime Goalscorer, Paddy Power). Here against their heated rivals in a Manchester Derby which would be a tough one for a potential loser, Agüero and Jesus are both in contention to play while playmaker Silva is a doubt. In their next match on Sunday, the Sky Blues are at Middlesbrough (PL EXTRA 1, 9:05 a.m. ET; MID +950, MC -330, DRAW +475, 3o -123, BookMaker).

EPL Series History, Manchester Weather, Best Betting Approach

In EPL play lifetime, Manchester City are 23-23-5 (202 GF-190 GA) at Home against Wayne Rooney and United and the Sky Blues won earlier this season, 2-1 at Old Trafford in Marcus Rashford (+240 Anytime Goalscorer, Bet365) in United’s only Home setback. The Red Devils did win here last season, 1-0 and the L2 scorelines here have been 1-0 with Kompany and the Sky Blues prevailing in 2015. TWC forecast for Greater Manchester on Thursday night calls for a 60% Chance of Rain. 10-15 mph NNE Winds with a Low of 40³, so pretty crappy and very English for Spring. With so many injuries, expect Mourinho to try to focus on Defense with City registering minimal SOG, making the Under the pick in this big Manchester Derby.

PREDICTED FINAL SCORE: Manchester City 1 Manchester United 1EPL THURSDAY PICK: Under 2½ +100Best Line Offered: at 5Dimes